Scott and Chrissy Kelley of Bremen are pleased to announce the arrival of a baby girl, Jessica Brooke Kelley.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Winter Storm Watch in advance of a nor’easter forecast to bring “a significant amount” of snow to Lincoln County over New Year’s weekend. Snowfall is expected to begin Fri. afternoon and then continue – sometimes light, sometimes heavy – all the way through Mon., according to the NWS.

Debby Mullin, the president of Lincoln County TRIAD, a volunteer who has donated more than a thousand hours to local senior citizens organizations, has been honored with a special presidential award.

Firefighters from Lincoln County towns including Whitefield, Somerville and Jefferson are presently responding to a reported structure fire in Whitefield. A reporter from The Lincoln County News is enroute to the area and further updates will be posted here as soon as they are available.

The Waldoboro Police are investigating an animal abuse and neglect case in which seven horses were found dead on a property on the Chapel Rd. in Waldoboro. Last week investigators found one horse dead and another in a nearby stall on the brink of death.

With hundreds of children’s holiday wishes still waiting to be fulfilled, the Lincoln County Family Holiday Wishes food and gift drive has extended the deadline for shoppers who are fulfilling a child’s holiday wish by purchasing an item described on a Wish Tag.

Wiscasset selectmen said it is up to town voters whether or not to keep the town’s police department. At the request of the Wiscasset Board of Selectmen, Lincoln County Sheriff Todd Brackett presented a report regarding the possible options for police coverage during the regular board meeting Tuesday night. The sheriff’s presentation came in response to questions asked by board members all leading to one basic question: Whether or not to eliminate the Wiscasset Police Dept.

Sheriff Todd Brackett reports the following:

Nov. 24, Deputy Peter Kenyon took a report of a burglary in the Dresden area. The complainant stated that when she arrived home at 3 p.m., she discovered someone had entered her home and took a jewelry box with approximately $1500 dollars worth of jewelry in it. Further investigation will follow as leads develop.

Lincoln County’s Emergency Management Agency has issued an advisory alerting area residents to prepare for what could be a significant winter storm beginning sometime Friday.

Country Farms Restaurant in Whitefield reopened Dec. 30 under new ownership.

Jessica Brillant bought the restaurant earlier this month and said the reopening will be a return to the way Country Farms used to be.

The Newcastle-Alna Baptist Church will hold its annual candlelight service on Sun., Dec. 20 beginning at 7 p.m.

Rick Hirsch, co-owner and chef of the Damariscotta River Grill, has been named 2010 Chef of the Year by the Maine Restaurant Association.

Martha and John J. Lynch of Damariscotta are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Mary Katherine (Kate) to Stephen G. O’Grady Jr., son of Sheila and Stephen G. O’Grady Sr. of Mountain Lakes, N.J. and Georgetown.

Test results on Alna’s sand and salt shed show that three of five concrete cores do not meet compressive strength standards.

Contractor Ronnie Hopkins, of Damariscotta, who was awarded the contract ($20,087) to shore up the deteriorating walls of the town’s steel Quonset hut structure, completed half the job, the west wall foundation. He said afterward he stands by his work.